Early Pearl
 

This cultivar of narcissus came with my house--one of the few flowering plants
there--and, as often, put in an early appearance a few days ago. Last spring
it had worked itself into such a huge clump that it barely flowered, and I had
one of those lightbulb moments, "It's gotta be divided. Free naturalized
narcissi all over the front patch." So I dug up a baseball-size knot of bulbs,
separated them, replanted, and as predicted they're raising their
cream-and-saltless-butter heads all over.
zemedelec

Early Pearl
 

In article ,
pamfree (Zemedelec) wrote:

This cultivar of narcissus came with my house--one of the few flowering plants
there--and, as often, put in an early appearance a few days ago. Last spring
it had worked itself into such a huge clump that it barely flowered, and I had
one of those lightbulb moments, "It's gotta be divided. Free naturalized
narcissi all over the front patch." So I dug up a baseball-size knot of bulbs,
separated them, replanted, and as predicted they're raising their
cream-and-saltless-butter heads all over.
zemedelec

The earliest blooming Narcissus I have is called "Chinese Sacred Lily"
which doesn't know what winter is, so puts up fat narcissus-grass in
autumn & is very leafy in December -- leave fat & flat like butterknives
-- but it won't bloom until late January or early February. I've other N.
tazetta varieties that do seem to detect we have winters here & so wait to
appear. I don't think any will bloom in December here (zone 8), not
outdoors that is. Paperwhites & such narcissi as are sold for "forcing"
will bloom very early if planted out in the garden, but not as early as
December. The hoop petticoat narcissi are also very grassy in autumn &
winter (extremely slender grass), but even though they will bloom ahead of
the other early blooming varieties, it'll still be vastly closer to the
last days of winter rather than right now during the first days of winter.


How far south do you live? If "Early Pearl" gets a jump on even the
"Chinese Sacred" in my zone, I might look for it next year. Some of the
ones that bloom in winter in the deep south or gulf coast, however, are
apt to just rot in winter here, & need very high ground in fullest sun to
persist, & even then won't bloom as early as December.

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/

Early Pearl
 

Now I'll have to check my Brent&Beckys, because it might be "Early Louisiana".
Whatever, it is the variety that first greeted me at the house in New Orleans,
Zone 9, about a mile from the Mississippi.
zemedelec

Early Pearl
 

In article ,
(paghat) writes:

(Zemedelec) wrote:

This cultivar of narcissus came with my house--one of the few flowering
plants
there--and, as often, put in an early appearance a few days ago. Last
spring
it had worked itself into such a huge clump that it barely flowered, and I
had
one of those lightbulb moments, "It's gotta be divided. Free naturalized
narcissi all over the front patch." So I dug up a baseball-size knot of
bulbs,
separated them, replanted, and as predicted they're raising their
cream-and-saltless-butter heads all over.
zemedelec
They sound lovely, Leslie

Paghat wrote

The earliest blooming Narcissus I have is called "Chinese Sacred Lily"
which doesn't know what winter is, so puts up fat narcissus-grass in
autumn & is very leafy in December -- leave fat & flat like butterknives
-- but it won't bloom until late January or early February.

Oh, indeed, Pag. I love the Chinese Sacred Lily or China Lily, My
grandmother had dozens of them in Long Beach, SoCal. THis is
always an early one here in the North Central Valley. I have one in
bloom now. I just picked the first blooming stem and there are 6-7 more
about ready. This one alwyas blooms in December. It is wedged in
between the walk and the raised bed in the veg garden. I think that
a gopher moved it there, cause I didn't plant it there!
I've other N.
tazetta varieties that do seem to detect we have winters here & so wait to
appear. I don't think any will bloom in December here (zone 8), not
outdoors that is.

There is a house down the street with a 100 foot row of them, always
blooming at Christmas time. Other early ones are Earlicheer and
Soleil d'Or. Also I think it is Pipit that is poking its little green ears up
now.

Paperwhites & such narcissi as are sold for "forcing"
will bloom very early if planted out in the garden,
I haven't seen any paperwhites yet, but in a couple of weeks, maybe.

We have had temps down to about 30, none in the 20s yet. Lots of rain,
and not much sunshine.I'm kind of a borderline zone 8. It has not been
in the twenties much for the last four or five years, though.

Emilie
NorCal

Early Pearl
 

Yep, it's Early Pearl--blooming its little heart out since Dec. 19. Nice but
not overpowering frangrance.
zemedelec

Early Pearl
 

how wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
madgardener
"Zemedelec" wrote in message
...
This cultivar of narcissus came with my house--one of the few flowering
plants
there--and, as often, put in an early appearance a few days ago. Last
spring
it had worked itself into such a huge clump that it barely flowered, and I
had
one of those lightbulb moments, "It's gotta be divided. Free naturalized
narcissi all over the front patch." So I dug up a baseball-size knot of
bulbs,
separated them, replanted, and as predicted they're raising their
cream-and-saltless-butter heads all over.
zemedelec